Indecorous
(pronounced in-dek-ur-us) adjective
Definition
not decorous; lacking decorum; violating or not conforming to accepted standards of good taste, propriety, decency, proper conduct or manners, etc.; inappropriate or indecent.
Decorous (pronounced dek-ur-us or dih-kawr-us): characterized by or manifesting propriety and good taste; correct or proper (in behavior, manners, appearance, speech, etc.).
Main Example
- By now, most Americans have gotten used to a daily diet of presidential tweets, many of which are quite heated in tone or sharply critical of those in Donald Trump’s crosshairs. But a couple of recent tweets, in which he personally attacked the two co-hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, drew condemnation even from several leading Republican senators. So what made those tweets so indecorous? His calling the two hosts disparaging names and then adding: “She was bleeding badly from a facelift.”
Workplace Examples
- About this morning’s first education session...the presenter stated at the very outset that he would prefer all questions be kept for the very end, yet there was this one woman who kept interrupting him, sort of, indecorously. Do you know who she is?
- Yeah, your observation is correct; Scott is a very different person now compared to, say, just a decade ago. Then, he constantly made lewd jokes, even in the presence of women; he was extremely immature--basically, an overgrown juvenile! I’ve noticed he does not like to be reminded of those indecorous years.
Other Examples
- during a discussion about the increasingly ugly divide between Republicans and Democrats in Washington D.C., this author saying: “I’ll never forget the moment when that misguided Congressman from South Carolina interrupted one of Obama’s speeches with the words ‘You Lie!’ Makes me wonder if any Democrats are planning to return the favor by engaging in similarly indecorous behavior or action during a future address by a Republican president.”
- a colleague commenting: “Several of us who attended last week’s roast of the dean felt that the tone of Martin’s speech was a bit mean-spirited. I thought it was clearly indecorous.”
- ruminating about his all-time favorite TV host--the late Louis Rukeyser--this author saying: “I remember how he would unfailingly -- and very decorously! -- unbutton his jacket the moment he sat down to interview the guest, and then promptly rebutton it as soon as he stood up toward the show’s end.”
- a coworker saying: “Yeah, I too just heard about Joe’s behavior at the big dinner yesterday. I am stunned, because I had always regarded him as being someone who is utterly straitlaced...decorous to a fault.”
- an employee awards ceremony that is informal, low budget, and haphazardly put together, not at all a decorous affair; the decorous space between two dancing partners
- So, no more instances of indecorously dressed players at LPGA events? Perhaps not, because the Ladies Professional Golf Association has just released a new dress code that prohibits short skirts, tops with plunging necklines, and the like.
